Teaching Kids to Code

          

As a kindergarten teacher, I know how important it is to lay the foundation blocks for reading and writing. A child needs to become fluent and confident with their letters, sounds, and sight words. I work every day to incorporate activates that focus on those skills so that reading and writing can be fun! However, as technology moves along with new inventions and the world becomes more and more reliant on the digital aspect of things I wonder am I preparing my students for this new world?

Then I came across a blog post that encouraged teachers to teach pre-school and kindergarten students to code. This is what the post stated about coding: "Coding (or computer programming) is a new type of literacy. Just as writing helps you organize your thinking and express your ideas, the same is true for coding. In the past, coding was seen as too difficult for most people. But we think coding should be for everyone, just like writing…With ScratchJr, children aren’t just learning to code, and they are coding to learn.”

I never thought about coding as a new type of literacy!! As mind blowing as that statement was, it truly made me start thinking. If our world is becoming more and more technically advanced and people are using computers more and more then why wouldn't we (teachers) want to begin teaching our children the basics of computers? The post continues to talk about apps that would make it easy to introduce coding to students. I think this is something I might want to try with my students someday. But it is going to be something I need to try on my own first. I have never coded in my life!!
Here is the link:
Teaching Kids to Code
 

App Review: LetterSchool

This app focuses on correct letter/number formation in a playful, thoughtful way. It is intended for children ages 3-7. It focuses on where you begin the strokes and emphasizes correct form  It has limited spoken support, but pretty loud sound effects.

Here are some of the concepts that this app focuses on:
~Letter name and letter sounds
~Correct formation of letters and numbers (1-10)
~Counting from 1-10
~Fine Motor skills
~Early foundation for literacy and numeracy 

Once you pick a letter or number it announces "This is the letter A for /A/, /A/, Ant".  

Then you go through three steps: touching the correct start point and watching the letter strokes with a cute animation. Then you touch the points and traces the letter, pulling train tracks, lights etc which animate when completed.  I like that after a few incorrect starts support is offered- top of the A with arrow.  Then you write the letter interdependently- as soon as the touch the start points the form disappears, but if you don't know where to go supports pop up. 

 After you finish all three tasks a star is placed on the alphabet page.  Once all the capitals, lowercase, or numbers are completed three new levels open up for you to trace, with new animations.  What I especially appreciate about the app is the choice of zaner-bloser, d'nealian, and even HWT (handwriting without tears) letter formations. 

After investigating this app I do not feel this app is confusing for teachers or students. It is very easy to use and very self explanatory. I would definitely recommend this app for the other teachers on my team. Also, I would recommend it for friends who have preschool aged children or children in kindergarten. I would recommend this app because it is user friendly, fun, and visually appealing. The only downside to this app is the price. It is $2.99. However, if there budget allows I feel this app is worth the price. 

Lastly these are the standards that apply to this app:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1.A Print many upper- and lowercase letters.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1 command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Audacity- Open Source Software Review

     I was asked to create a review on an open source software. That software is called Audacity. However before I get started I thought I should find a definition for what an open source software is. Here is what Wikipedia states as the definition of an open source software: "Open-source software is a computer software with its source code made available and licensed with a license in which the copyright holder provides the rights to study, change and distribute the software to anyone and for any purpose." 

     Audacity is a free open source digital audio editor and recording computer software application. In addition, to recording audio from multiple sources, it can be used to add effects to all types of media including podcasts. Some of those effects could be normalization, trimming, and fading the sounds in and out. 

     There are several ways that an elementary teacher could incorporate this into their classroom. Older grade levels could use it to create an audio advertisement for a business/ advertising unit. It could be used to record speeches or songs that could later be shared with parents or administration. In younger grade levels, it could be used to record a child reading for a running record. 

     I felt this software was confusing and hard to use. It was easy to record yourself speaking but it was not easy to figure out how to edit the clip. I had to read and then reread the user manual to figure what to do. As far as other commercial software is concerned, I found a few but I needed pay for the software in order to use it. So i can't effective compare this software to another that is similar. 

I might use this in my classroom to record the students singing a song or reciting something we had learned but I would need more time with the program to figure it out. 

Tips for Using Ipads with Students

           Using iPads with kindergartners is no easy task! There are so many things I didn't consider before I handed twenty 5 year olds an iPad. Needless to say my first experience was not a good one. I had students asking so many questions I was barely able to get to my teaching objective. I did not have a good system or procedure in place when I needed them to stop what they were doing and look at me. Also, I forgot to have them mute their iPads while playing the game so needless to say I was more busy trying to show them how to mute their iPads rather than being a facilitator of their learning.
           After that disaster, I began to look for some helpful tips to integrate while students had an iPad. After a long search, I ran across 10  easy tips to have an orderly classroom while using iPads. This was the gold at the end of the rainbow! So many of the other "tips" I had read were geared more towards older students. The following tips were the most useful for my class:

1. Mute. If you do not need to have the volume on for any of your planned activities, it is best to 

instruct the students to mute the volume at the beginning of the lesson. This will reduce the 

number of distractions throughout the lesson. 

2. Thumbs Up. When the teacher calls thumbs up, all students should respond with a thumbs up 

if they agree. 

Example: The teachers asks the students to give her a thumbs up if they have finished their 

drawing. All students who have finished should give the teachers a thumbs up. 

     3. Happy Hands. Hands off the device and up in the air like jazz hands 

       Example: The teacher calls out “happy hands.” Students gently place their iPad on the desk and 

raise their hands up in the air and wiggle their fingers until the teacher tells them to lower their 

hands. 

4.Turn Over. Put the device to sleep by clicking the On/Off button. Make sure the screen turns to 

black. Turn the device face down on the desk. The teacher should tell the students that the black 

apple should be visible. 

These tips alone helped me out tremendously. One thing I am learning about integrating technology is usually the first time is always rough but with a little research and reading the second time is always better!!

Here is the link with the rest of the tips: http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=796199

Webinar Evaluation

Title:  Hanging In: Working with Challenging Students with Jeffrey Benson

Organization: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development -ASCD 

Time Attended: 4:30-5:33pm

Here is the link- Webinar

I have never attended or listened to a webinar until today. After listening I can understand why they are so popular. I was able to stop the webinar at any moment because it was archived. This was a great option for me because I was able to take notes or listen to certain parts again. 

For the most part, this webinar was pretty interactive. It had three survey poles and two different times to ask questions. Also, at the end of the webinar the man speaking gave out all of his contact information if anyone wanted to ask further questions or speak with him about a challenging student. 

There were several ideas I took away from this webinar that I would like to use in my classroom. Here is a quote the man used in his webinar. "Learning is spontaneous, individualistic, and often earned through effort. It is a time-worn, slow, gradual, fits and starts kind of process, which can have a flow of its own, but requires passion, patience, and attention to detail." - John Hattie 2009

This quote reminded me that all students learn at a different pace.  Something that Benson pointed out about challenging students is that these students usually show frustration or extreme signs of angry because they are unsure how to voice their concerns about the assignment. He said hat when teachers assign students a task, they need to analyze the sub tasks that are required for the main task. This point really shed a lot of light on my challenging student. When the student I have becomes upset I usually attribute it to that she is refusing to do the work because she wants attention. However, now I realize I might need to analyze the sub tasks. Maybe there are some sub tasks she is not confident about doing or doesn't know how to do at all. 

There were several other ideas that he addressed that could be helpful too. He spoke on preparing the child for the environment and changing the environment for the child. Also, he pointed out to look for things or structures that are working for the child in the school. 

Overall this was a good webinar. I learned a lot and I plan on sharing with some colleagues at my school. The only thing I felt was a limitation was he did not give any concrete examples of ways to help challenging students in the primary grades. He gave examples of things he had done with older child but not younger children. 

Coaching Conferences

 I have been teaching the Lucy Calkin's workshop model for three years now.  The first year I taught this model it was overwhelming, exhausting, confusing, hard, and frustrating. That first year was like trying to learn how to swim. I had days where I felt confident about my teaching and days I went home crying. There are so many aspects to the workshop model. I finally decided, after months of stress and tears that I needed to focus on one part at a time. My first year I focused on laying the foundation and procedures for reader's and writer's workshop. Then my second year I focused on making sure my teaching point was clear and appropriate in addition to the active engagement part of the model. I worked hard to make sure my students were actively engaging not only with me but with their partner on the carpet as well. 

Now that I am in the third year of teaching this model I have decided I need to work on my coaching during the individual conferences. I have not yet mastered the other goals I worked on during year one and two. However, I do feel more confident about those parts of the workshop model. 

Individual conferences with students make me nervous!! When I approach the student, I always remember to give them a compliment but then after that it's like I forget what to say. Usually I catch myself asking way to many questions and talking to fast! Usually, I am thinking I need to conference with at least four students every day. That doesn't seem like a lot but I don't have a lot time and usually there is always a disruption of some sort. 

The blog post that I read is from a blog called Two Writing Teachers. This blog has some incredible posts from teachers who have been trained from Lucy Calkins. The post is titled Coaching Conferences. In this post it lists five things to keep in mind for an effective independent conference; use very lean prompts, give wait time, coach into independence, making your teaching transferable, and be responsive. Those five tips were very helpful, especially lean prompts and wait time! I need to remember that less is more when dealing with prompting. Also, coaching into independence was a great reminder. I know sometimes I just do things for my students without thinking. However, they will grasp the idea better if they do it on their own. This post really helped me! I am looking forward to using these tips tomorrow!

       

Here is the link:
Coaching Conferences

Kindergartners and iPads.. Can this work?

I don't know how many staff development days or conversations I have had with other teachers about using iPads in my classroom. During the conversation, I am always so excited and ready to try using iPads with my kindergartners. However, when I get back to the classroom I begin to feel overwhelmed. I look at my lesson plans and I can't quiet figure out how to incorporate iPads. Then I begin to think about those students that are prone to breaking things, always dancing or moving around, and love to not listen; thinking about those students with an iPad makes my head hurt. And last but not least the thing that causes me the most anxiety is working the iPad in front of my students. I don't seem to have a great working relationship with the smart board in my room! I can't imagine what an iPad would be like. Needless to say, I have never had the confidence to begin using iPads in my classroom until tonight. 

As I began searching the web for a blog that talked about iPads in kindergarten, I wasn't thinking very positively. The first few blogs I checked out were no help at all. Then I found the gold at the end of the rainbow a blog called Digital Kindergarten. This blog is fantastic! There were so many helpful ideas once I began to look around. The thing that was the most helpful was one of her LiveBinders entitled:  Teaching with Technology in Kindergarten. One of tabs talks about how she uses iPads in her kindergarten classroom all day. She talks about how she introduces the iPads to the students and what a typical day with an iPad looks like. After reading this post, I am now positive I can do this with my students. 

There were also tabs in the LiveBinder that showed the apps on her iPad, the best apps for teachers, and how to use bloom's taxonomy with an iPad. I am so excited about this blog! I have already learned so much. I am looking forward to using the iPads with my students. Hopefully, I will get along with the iPads and they won't give me as much trouble as my smart board does. http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=796199